Boundary acoustic wave device and process for producing same

ABSTRACT

In a method for producing a boundary acoustic wave device that includes a first medium, a second medium, and a third medium laminated in that order, and electrodes disposed at the interface between the first medium and the second medium, the method includes the steps of preparing a laminate including the first medium, the second medium, and the electrodes disposed at the interface between the first medium and the second medium, adjusting the thickness of the second medium after the step of preparing the laminate to regulate a frequency or the acoustic velocity of a surface acoustic wave, a pseudo-boundary acoustic wave, or a boundary acoustic wave, after the adjusting step, forming the third medium different from the second medium in terms of the acoustic velocity with which the boundary acoustic wave propagates therethrough and/or in terms of material.

This application is a Divisional Application of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/535,560 filed Sep. 27, 2006, currently pending; which is aContinuation of PCT/JP2005/005414 filed Mar. 24, 2005, expired.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a boundary acoustic wave device using aboundary acoustic wave propagating through the interface between mediaand a method for producing the boundary acoustic wave device. Morespecifically, the present invention relates to a boundary acoustic wavedevice including electrodes disposed between a first medium and a secondmedium, and another medium laminated on the outer surface of one of thefirst and second media, and also relates to a method for producing theboundary acoustic wave device.

2. Description of the Related Art

Various surface acoustic wave devices have been used for RF and IFfilters in mobile phones, resonators in VCOs, and VIF filters intelevision sets. Each of the surface acoustic wave devices use a surfaceacoustic wave, such as a Rayleigh wave or a first-order leaky wave,propagating along a surface of a medium.

Surface acoustic waves propagate along the surface of a medium, and arethus sensitive to changes in the surface condition of the medium.Accordingly, to protect the surface of the medium along which thesurface acoustic waves propagate, in the related art, the surfaceacoustic wave element is hermetically sealed in a package having acavity such that the surface of the medium described above is disposedtherein. The use of the package having the cavity inevitably increasesthe cost of the surface acoustic wave device. In addition, the packagehas significantly larger dimensions than the surface acoustic waveelement. Thus, the size of the surface acoustic wave device isrelatively large.

Acoustic waves other than the surface acoustic waves include boundaryacoustic waves propagating along the boundaries between solids.

For example, “Piezoelectric Acoustic Boundary Waves Propagating Alongthe Interface Between SiO₂ and LiTaO3” IEEE Trans. Sonics and ultrason.,Vol. SU-25, No. 6, 1978 IEEE (Non-Patent Document 1) discloses aboundary acoustic wave device including an IDT disposed on a126°-rotated Y-plate X-propagating LiTaO₃ substrate and a SiO₂ filmhaving a predetermined thickness disposed over the IDT and the LiTaO₃substrate. This document describes that SV+P mode boundary acousticwaves called Stoneley waves propagate. Non-Patent Document 1 alsodescribes that when the SiO₂ film has a thickness of 1.0λ (wherein λrepresents the wavelength of the boundary acoustic wave), theelectromechanical coupling coefficient is 2%.

Boundary acoustic waves propagate with their energy concentrated on theboundaries between the solids. Thus, minimal energy is present on thebottom surface of the LiTaO₃ substrate and on a surface of the SiO₂film. Therefore, characteristics of the boundary acoustic wave do notvary with changes in the surface state of the substrate or the thinfilm. Thus, a package having a cavity is not required, thereby reducingthe size of the acoustic wave device.

To suppress non-uniformities in resonant frequencies and centerfrequencies in filters and resonators using the acoustic waves, variousmethods for adjusting frequencies have been developed. For example,Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 5-191193 (PatentDocument 1) discloses, in a piezoelectric ceramic filter using thethickness vibration of a bulk wave, a method for adjusting a frequencyby evaporating an insulating material onto resonant electrodes disposedon a surface of a piezoelectric ceramic substrate.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2-301210 (PatentDocument 2) discloses a surface acoustic wave device using a surfaceacoustic wave, the surface acoustic wave device including a SiN filmcovering interdigital electrodes and reflectors disposed on apiezoelectric substrate. A center frequency and a resonant frequency areadjusted by controlling the thickness of the SiN film.

WO98/51011 (Patent Document 3) discloses a boundary acoustic wave deviceshown in FIG. 12. A boundary acoustic wave device 100 includesinterdigital electrodes 102 and 102 disposed on a first piezoelectricsubstrate 101, a dielectric film 103 disposed over the interdigitalelectrodes 102, and a Si-based second substrate 104 laminated on theupper surface of the dielectric film 103. In the boundary acoustic wavedevice 100, the Si-based second substrate 104 is disposed on theinterdigital electrodes 102 with the dielectric film 103 providedtherebetween, and thus is not in direct contact with the interdigitalelectrodes 102. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the parasiticresistance between the interdigital electrodes 102.

The above-described boundary acoustic wave device does not require apackage having a cavity, thereby reducing the size of an acoustic wavedevice. However, according to experiments conducted by the inventors,production tolerance often induces non-uniformities in a resonantfrequency and a center frequency in the boundary acoustic wave devices,as in the case of the surface acoustic wave devices. In particular, inthe boundary acoustic wave device, after the formation of the electrodeson a first medium, a second medium was formed so as to cover theelectrodes. Thus, if there was production tolerance in the secondmedium, the frequency of the boundary acoustic wave device would havebeen likely to vary significantly.

On the other hand, in methods described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, aninsulating material is deposited on a surface of a bulk wave substrateby evaporation to adjust the frequency of a bulk wave device. In amethod described in Patent Document 2, a SiN film is provided on asurface acoustic wave substrate to adjust the frequency. That is, in aknown bulk wave device and surface acoustic wave device, an insulatingmaterial or a metal is deposited on a surface of a substrate to adjust afrequency by using the distribution of oscillation energy to the surfaceof the substrate. Furthermore, in another method, an electrode disposedon a surface of a substrate is etched or a surface of a substrate isetched to adjust a frequency.

However, since the oscillation energy of a boundary wave is scarcelydistributed in a boundary acoustic wave device, such a method foradjusting the frequency cannot be used. In other words, if foreignmatter such as an insulating material is deposited on a surface of asubstrate or if a surface of a substrate is shaved, the resonantfrequency and a pass band are not changed.

In the boundary acoustic wave device 100 described in Patent Document 3,interposing the dielectric film 103 reduces parasitic resistance.However, the frequency cannot be adjusted after completion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To overcome the problems described above, preferred embodiments of thepresent invention provide a method for stably and effectively producinga boundary acoustic wave device having target frequency characteristics,the method being able to efficiently suppress variations in frequencycaused by production tolerance. Preferred embodiments of the presentinvention also provide a boundary acoustic wave device having targetfrequency characteristics with only slight non-uniformity in frequencyfrom lot to lot.

According to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, in amethod for producing a boundary acoustic wave device that includes afirst medium, a second medium, and a third medium laminated in thatorder, and electrodes disposed at the interface between the first mediumand the second medium, the method includes the steps of preparing alaminate including the first medium, the second medium, and theelectrodes disposed at the interface between the first medium and thesecond medium, adjusting the thickness of the second medium after thestep of preparing the laminate to regulate a frequency or the acousticvelocity of a surface acoustic wave, a pseudo-boundary acoustic wave, ora boundary acoustic wave, and after the adjusting step, forming thethird medium different from the second medium in terms of the acousticvelocity with which the boundary acoustic wave propagates therethroughand/or in terms of material.

The third medium preferably has a thickness greater than about 0.5λ,where λ represents the wavelength of the boundary acoustic wave.

According to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, ina method for producing a boundary acoustic wave device that includes afirst medium, a second medium, a third medium, and a fourth mediumlaminated in that order, and electrodes disposed at the interfacebetween the first medium and the second medium, the method includes thesteps of preparing a laminate including the first medium, the secondmedium, and the third medium formed in that order and electrodesdisposed at the interface between the first medium and the secondmedium, adjusting a frequency or the acoustic velocity of a surfaceacoustic wave, a pseudo-boundary acoustic wave, or a boundary acousticwave after the step of preparing the laminate, and after the adjustingstep, forming the fourth medium, the acoustic velocity in the fourthmedium and/or the material of the fourth medium being different fromthat of the third medium.

In the first preferred embodiment of the present invention describedabove, the acoustic velocity in the third medium and/or the material ofthe third medium is different from that of the second medium, and, inthe second preferred embodiment, the acoustic velocity in the fourthmedium and/or the material of fourth medium is different from the thirdmedium. In this case, different materials result in different acousticvelocities of a longitudinal wave and a transverse wave. When the samematerial is used, it is possible to change the acoustic velocity byusing different crystalline states or by changing the degree of densityif the material is polycrystalline.

Furthermore, when the medium layer is isotropic, the velocity oflongitudinal waves in the medium layer, i.e., Vs, and the velocity oftransverse waves, i.e., Vp, are represented by equations (1) and (2):$\begin{matrix}{{Vs} = \sqrt{\frac{{C\quad 11} - {C\quad 12}}{2\quad\rho}}} & (1) \\{{Vp} = \sqrt{\frac{C\quad 11}{\rho}}} & (2)\end{matrix}$where C11 and C12 each represent an elastic stiffness constant; and ρrepresents a density. In the second preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the fourth medium preferably has a thickness greater thanabout 0.5λ, where λ represents the wavelength of a boundary acousticwave.

In the first and second preferred embodiments of the present invention,at least one medium preferably has a laminated structure in which aplurality of material layers are laminated.

In the first and second preferred embodiments of the present invention,the electrodes are preferably each composed of one metal selected fromthe group consisting of Au, Ag, Cu, Fe, Ta, W, Ti, and Pt.

In the first and second preferred embodiments of the present invention,the medium layers are preferably each composed of at least one materialselected from the group consisting of lithium niobate, potassiumniobate, lithium tantalate, lithium tetraborate, langasite, langanite,quartz, lead zirconate titanate ceramics, ZnO, AlN, silicon oxides,glass, silicon, sapphire, silicon nitrides, and carbon nitrides.

In the first and second preferred embodiments of the present invention,the electrodes preferably define a boundary acoustic wave resonator or aboundary acoustic wave filter, and the boundary acoustic wave device isthe boundary acoustic wave resonator or the boundary acoustic wavefilter.

According to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention, aboundary acoustic wave device includes a first medium, a second medium,a third medium, and a fourth medium laminated in that order, andelectrodes disposed at the interface between the first medium and thesecond medium, the acoustic velocity in the third medium and/or thematerial of the third medium being different from that of the fourthmedium.

In the production method according to the first preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, after preparing the laminate including the firstmedium, the second medium, and the electrodes disposed at the interfacebetween the first medium and the second medium, the thickness of thesecond medium is adjusted after the step of preparing the laminate toregulate a frequency or the acoustic velocity of a boundary acousticwave. After the adjusting step, the third medium is formed, the thirdmedium being different from the second medium in terms of the acousticvelocity with which the boundary acoustic wave propagates therethroughand/or in terms of material. That is, the laminate including theelectrodes disposed between the first and the second media is prepared,and then the thickness of the second medium is adjusted after the stepof preparing the laminate. Thereby, it is possible to regulate afrequency or the acoustic velocity of a surface acoustic wave, apseudo-boundary acoustic wave, or a boundary acoustic wave. Thus, it ispossible to produce a laminate for forming a boundary acoustic wavedevice having a target frequency. In this case, to adjust the secondmedium after the step of preparing the laminate to regulate thefrequency or the acoustic velocity, the thickness of the second mediummay be adjusted in producing the laminate. Alternatively, the thicknessof the second medium may be adjusted after the completion of thelaminate.

After the adjusting step, the third medium, in which the acousticvelocity in the third medium and/or the material of the third medium isdifferent from that of the second medium, is formed. The energy of theboundary acoustic wave is negligibly distributed in the third medium.Thus, even if variation of the third medium from lot to lot occurs,variations in acoustic velocity and frequency do not occur.Consequently, it is possible to easily and reliably provide a boundaryacoustic wave device having minimal non-uniformity in devicecharacteristics.

In the production method according to the first preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, after preparing the laminate including the firstmedium, the second medium, and the third medium formed in that order andelectrodes disposed at the interface between the first medium and thesecond medium, the thickness of the third medium is adjusted after thestep of preparing the laminate to regulate a frequency or the acousticvelocity of a boundary acoustic wave. After the adjusting step, thefourth medium is formed, the acoustic velocity in the fourth mediumand/or the material of the fourth medium being different from that ofthe third medium. That is, the laminate including the electrodesdisposed between the first and the second media, and the third mediumlaminated on the second medium is prepared, and then the thickness ofthe third medium is adjusted after the step of preparing the laminate.Thereby, it is possible to regulate a frequency or the acoustic velocityof a surface acoustic wave, a pseudo-boundary acoustic wave, or aboundary acoustic wave. Thus, it is possible to produce a laminate forforming a boundary acoustic wave device having a target frequency. Inthis case, to adjust the third medium after the step of preparing thelaminate to regulate the frequency or the acoustic velocity, thethickness of the third medium may be adjusted in producing the laminate.Alternatively, the thickness of the third medium may be adjusted afterthe completion of the laminate.

After the adjusting step, the fourth medium, in which the acousticvelocity in the fourth medium and/or the material of the fourth mediumis different from that of the third medium, is formed. The energy of theboundary acoustic wave is negligibly distributed in the fourth medium.Thus, even if variations of the fourth medium from lot to lot occur,variations in acoustic velocity and frequency do not occur.Consequently, it is possible to easily and reliably provide a boundaryacoustic wave device having minimal non-uniformity in devicecharacteristics.

In a boundary acoustic wave propagating through the boundary acousticwave device according to the first and second preferred embodiments ofthe present invention, the vast majority of the energy is distributed inthe range up to about 0.5λ thickness of the third medium in the firstpreferred embodiment or the fourth medium in the second preferredembodiment of the present invention. Thus, the third medium in the firstpreferred embodiment and the fourth medium in the second preferredembodiment of the present invention preferably have a thickness of atleast about 0.5λ.

When at least one medium has a laminated structure in which a pluralityof material layers are laminated, the selection of the plurality of thematerial layers facilitate forming medium layers having differentacoustic velocities therein or different frequency characteristics.

When the electrodes are each composed of one metal selected from thegroup consisting of Au, Ag, Cu, Fe, Ta, W, Ti, and Pt, the metal is usedas a material for the propagation path, the IDT, and the reflector ofthe boundary wave device.

In the medium layers each composed of at least one material selectedfrom the group consisting of lithium niobate, potassium niobate, lithiumtantalate, lithium tetraborate, langasite, langanite, quartz, leadzirconate titanate ceramics, ZnO, AlN, silicon oxides, glass, silicon,sapphire, silicon nitrides, and carbon nitrides, the thickness of themetal material and the duty ratios of the IDT and the reflector areadjusted such that the acoustic velocity of the boundary wave is lessthan those in the materials of the media, thereby producing a boundarywave device.

When the electrodes define a boundary acoustic wave resonator or aboundary acoustic wave filter, the boundary acoustic wave resonator orthe boundary acoustic wave filter can be produced according to preferredembodiments of the present invention.

In the boundary acoustic wave device according to preferred embodimentsof the present invention, the first medium, the second medium, and thethird medium are laminated in that order. The electrodes are disposed atthe interface between the first and second media. The acoustic velocityin the second medium and/or the material of the second medium isdifferent from that of the third medium. The energy of the boundary waveis distributed as shown in FIG. 5. Thus, changing the thickness of thesecond medium adjusts the acoustic velocity with which the boundary wavepropagates therethrough. Changing the thickness of the third medium doesnot adjust the acoustic velocity with which the boundary wave propagatestherethrough because the energy of the boundary wave is not distributedon the surface of the third medium. An operating frequency F of theboundary wave device is expressed as F=V/λ, where V represents theacoustic velocity of a boundary wave, and λ represents the period of IDTstrips. Thus, adjusting the acoustic velocity regulates the operatingfrequency of the boundary wave device.

In the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the firstmedium, the second medium, the third medium, and the fourth medium arelaminated in that order. The electrodes are disposed at the interfacebetween the first and second media. The acoustic velocity in the thirdmedium and/or the material of the third medium is different from that ofthe fourth medium. The energy of the boundary wave is distributed asshown in FIG. 6. Thus, changing the thickness of the third mediumadjusts the acoustic velocity with which the boundary wave propagatestherethrough. Changing the thickness of the fourth medium does notadjust the acoustic velocity with which the boundary wave propagatestherethrough because the energy of the boundary wave is not distributedon the surface of the fourth medium. An operating frequency F of theboundary wave device is expressed as F=V/λ, where V represents theacoustic velocity of a boundary wave, and λ represents the period of IDTstrips. Thus, adjusting the acoustic velocity regulates the operatingfrequency of the boundary wave device.

In the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the secondand fourth media may be composed of the same material, thereby improvingvarious characteristics. In general, many dielectric materials and metalmaterials have negative temperature coefficients of acoustic velocitiesof acoustic waves. When the first to third media and the electrode layerare each composed of a material having a negative temperaturecoefficient, the boundary acoustic wave has a negative temperaturecoefficient. The temperature coefficient of operating frequency of aboundary acoustic wave device, i.e., TCF, is expressed as:${TCF} = {{\frac{1}{V} \cdot \frac{\Delta\quad V}{\Delta\quad T}} - \alpha}$where V represents the acoustic velocity of a boundary wave, ΔVrepresents the width of variation in acoustic velocity, ΔT representsthe width of variation in temperature, and α represents a coefficient oflinear thermal expansion. Many dielectric materials and metal materialshave positive coefficients of linear thermal expansion. Thus, theboundary acoustic wave device has a negative TCF. In the boundaryacoustic wave device, the TCF is preferably zero.

To improve the temperature characteristics, the second and fourth mediamay each be composed of SiO₂ having a positive temperature coefficient.In this case, it is possible to adjust the temperature coefficientcloser to zero as compared to the case in which the second medium iscomposed of a dielectric material having a negative temperaturecoefficient. Furthermore, the appropriate selection of the materials ofthe first and third media and the thickness of each media can adjust theTCF to zero.

Other features, elements, steps, characteristics and advantages of thepresent invention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of preferred embodiments of the present invention withreference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic front cross-sectional view illustrating a boundaryacoustic wave device according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2A is a plan view showing an electrode structure of a boundaryacoustic wave device according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, and FIG. 2B is a front cross-sectional view of the boundaryacoustic wave device.

FIG. 3 is a schematic fragmentary enlarged cross-sectional viewillustrating duty ratios of the IDT and reflectors of a boundaryacoustic wave device.

FIG. 4 shows the relationship between the cross-sectional structure of aknown boundary acoustic wave device and the energy distribution of aboundary acoustic wave.

FIG. 5 shows the relationship between a cross-sectional structure of aboundary acoustic wave device according to a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention and the energy distribution of a boundary acousticwave.

FIG. 6 shows the relationship between a cross-sectional structure of aboundary acoustic wave device according to another preferred embodimentof the present invention and the energy distribution of a boundaryacoustic wave.

FIG. 7 is a graph showing the relationship between the thickness H2 of aSiO₂ film, which is a second medium of a boundary acoustic wave devicein Example 1, and the acoustic velocity (center frequency×λ).

FIG. 8 is a graph showing the relationship between the thickness H2 of aSiO₂ film, which is a second medium of a boundary acoustic wave devicein Example 1, and the temperature coefficient of frequency.

FIG. 9 is a graph showing the relationship between the thickness H3 of apolycrystalline Si film, which is a third medium of a boundary acousticwave device in Example 2, and the acoustic velocity (centerfrequency×λ).

FIG. 10 is a graph showing the relationship between the thickness H3 ofa polycrystalline Si film, which is a third medium of a boundaryacoustic wave device in Example 2, and the temperature coefficient offrequency.

FIG. 11 is a circuit diagram of a ladder filter as an example of aboundary acoustic wave device according to a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a knownboundary acoustic wave device.

FIG. 13 is a graph showing frequency characteristics of the knownboundary acoustic wave device and shows production tolerance infrequency.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will be explained by describing specific preferredembodiments according to the present invention with reference to thedrawings.

The inventors have produced a boundary acoustic wave device shown inFIGS. 2A and 2B and have studied the device. FIG. 2B is a frontcross-sectional view of the boundary acoustic wave device 200. Theboundary acoustic wave device 200 has a laminated structure including afirst medium 201 and a second medium 202. An input IDT 205, output IDTs206 and 207, which function as electrodes, and reflectors 208 and 209are disposed at the interface between the first and second media 201 and202. FIG. 2A is a plan view showing the electrode structure.

In the boundary acoustic wave device 200, the first medium 201 was a 15°Y-cut X-propagating LiNbO₃ substrate. A wavelength λ based on thecenter-to-center distance of the IDTs 205 to 207 was about 3.0 μm. Thecross length of electrode fingers was about 50λ. The input IDT 205 had14.5 pairs of electrode fingers. The period of arrangement of the fourouter electrode fingers of the IDT 204 in the propagation direction of aboundary wave was about 0.86λ. The output IDTs 206 and 207 each had 8.5pairs of electrode fingers, the period of arrangement of four electrodefingers adjacent to the input IDT 205 was about 0.86λ. The reflectors208 and 209 each had 41 electrode fingers and a period of arrangement ofabout 1.033λ. Pass-band regions of the filter were disposed inreflection-band regions of the reflectors 208 and 209. Thecenter-to-center distances of the nearest-neighbor electrodes betweenthe input IDT 205 and each of the output IDTs 206 and 207 were about0.43λ. The center-to-center distance of the nearest-neighbor electrodesbetween the output IDT 206 and the reflector 208 and between the outputIDT 207 and the reflector 209 was about 0.5λ. The IDTs 205 to 207 andthe reflectors 208 and 209 each had a duty ratio of about 0.5.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the duty ratio.The term “duty ratio” means a value expressed as L/P in FIG. 3, where Lrepresents the width of an electrode finger; and P represents thecenter-to-center distance of the spaces between adjacent electrodefingers in the propagation direction of the boundary wave. The period ofarrangement of the IDT and the reflector, i.e., λ, is expressed asλ=2×P.

Each of the above-described electrodes were made of a laminate includingan underlying NiCr film having a thickness of about 0.003λ and an Aufilm having a thickness of about 0.05λ disposed on the underlying NiCrfilm. The second medium was made of a SiO₂ film.

Two boundary acoustic wave devices described above were produced. Thatis, a first lot and a second lot of the boundary acoustic wave deviceswere produced.

S21 characteristics (transmission characteristics) of the boundaryacoustic wave devices of the first and second lots were measured. Asshown in FIG. 13, the results demonstrated that the mean centerfrequency of the pass band of the first lot was different from that ofthe second lot by about 5.6 MHz.

The center frequency of the pass band of the filter must be matched to atarget center frequency. Variations in the frequency of the pass bandmust be suppressed with high precision. A first lot and a second lot ofthe boundary acoustic wave devices were produced again in the samemanner as the first and second lots. The pass frequencies were measuredbefore and after the formation of the SiO₂ films as the second media.Table 1 shows the results. TABLE 1 First lot Second lot Before formation  844 MHz   847 MHz of SiO₂ film After formation 1,060 MHz 1,065 MHz ofSiO₂ film

As shown in Table 1, the width of variation in frequency was as large asabout 220 MHz before and after the formation of the SiO₂ film in each ofthe first and second lots. A comparison of a result of the boundaryacoustic wave device of the first lot with that of the second lot showthat the frequency difference was further increased by 2 MHz after theformation of the SiO₂ film. Thus, the results demonstrate thatproduction tolerance of the SiO₂ film, which is the second medium,significantly affects variation in the frequency of the final boundaryacoustic wave device.

In the case of the formation of the SiO₂ film functioning as the secondmedium after the formation of the electrodes on the first medium asdescribed above, the occurrence of variation in the second medium causessignificant variation in the frequency of the boundary acoustic wavedevice.

In contrast, according to the first preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the frequency adjustment is performed after the formation ofa second medium of a laminate. Thus, production tolerance in frequencyis significantly reduced after the step of adjusting the frequency. Inthe case in which a third medium is further formed, even when variationin the third medium occurs, variation in the frequency of the resultingboundary acoustic wave device is effectively minimized and suppressed.This will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1, 4, and 5.

FIG. 1 is a partially cutout front cross-sectional view of a boundaryacoustic wave device according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. In this boundary acoustic wave device, a second medium 2 anda third medium 3 are laminated on a first medium 1. Electrodes 5 aredisposed at the interface between the first medium 1 and the secondmedium 2. In this preferred embodiment, after the formation of theelectrodes 5 on the first medium, the second medium 2 is formed, thusproducing a laminate. After the step of forming the laminate, thefrequency adjustment is performed. More specifically, the frequency isadjusted by changing the thickness of the second medium 2. Examples ofmethods of changing the thickness of the second medium 2 include amethod in which the second medium 2 is processed by etching to reducethe thickness; and a method in which a film composed of a materialidentical to that of the second medium is formed by a film-formingprocess such as sputtering to substantially increase the thickness ofthe second medium 2. Alternatively, the thickness of the second medium 2may be adjusted in the step of forming the second medium 2.

In this preferred embodiment, after the thickness adjustment, the thirdmedium 3 is formed.

Methods for producing the second medium 2 and the third medium 3 are notlimited to film-forming methods, such as sputtering, and various othermethods may be used. With respect to the third medium 3, a separatelyprepared film or a plate formed of the third medium may be bonded on thesecond medium 2.

In the boundary acoustic wave device according to a first preferredembodiment of the present invention, the third medium 3 must bedifferent from the second medium 2 in terms of the acoustic velocitywith which a boundary wave propagates therethrough and/or in terms ofmaterial. In the case where the acoustic velocity in the second medium 2is identical to that of the third medium 3, and where the material ofthe second medium 2 is identical to that of the third medium 3, evenwhen the above-described step of adjusting the frequency is performed,in some cases, the frequency is not changed.

FIG. 4 shows the relationship between a schematic front cross-sectionalview of a known boundary acoustic wave device and the energydistribution of a boundary acoustic wave. As is apparent from FIG. 4, inthe boundary acoustic wave device 200, electrodes such as the input IDT205 are disposed between the first medium 201 having a thickness of H1and the second medium 202 having a thickness of H2. As shown on theright side of FIG. 4, the energy of the boundary wave is concentrated onand around the interface. In the first and second media 201 and 202, theenergy decreases as the distance from the interface increases. However,for example, in the second medium 202, the energy is also present in thehatched portion in FIG. 4. Thus, the occurrence of the variation in thesecond medium after the formation of the second medium 202 results invariation in frequency.

FIG. 5 shows the relationship between a schematic cross-sectional viewof the boundary acoustic wave device of the above-described preferredembodiment and the energy distribution of a boundary acoustic wave.

In the boundary acoustic wave device shown in FIG. 5, the electrodes 5are disposed at the interface between the first medium 1 having athickness of H1 and the second medium 2 having a thickness of H2. Inthis case, the electrodes 5 are formed on the first medium 1. Then, thesecond medium 2 is formed. After the step of forming the second medium2, the frequency adjustment is performed. After the frequencyadjustment, the third medium 3 having a thickness of H3 is formed. Inthe resulting boundary acoustic wave device, after the step of formingthe laminate having the first medium 1 and the second medium 2, thefrequency adjustment is performed.

With respect to the energy distribution of the boundary wave in theboundary acoustic wave device, only a portion of energy is distributedin the third medium 3 as shown in the right side of FIG. 5. Thus, evenwhen variation in the third medium 3 from production tolerance occurs,non-uniformity in frequency due to the variation is very small.Therefore, the frequency adjustment before the formation of the thirdmedium 3 significantly reduces variation in the frequency of theboundary acoustic wave device after the formation of the third medium 3.

FIG. 6 shows the relationship between a schematic cross-sectional viewillustrating the reason for the small variation in the frequency of aboundary acoustic wave device according to a second preferred embodimentof the present invention and the energy distribution of a boundaryacoustic wave.

In a boundary acoustic wave device 20 according to the second preferredembodiment of the present invention, electrodes 25 are disposed betweena first medium 21 having a thickness of H1 and a second medium 22 havinga thickness of H2. A third medium 23 having a thickness of H3 islaminated thereon to form a laminate. After the step of forming thelaminate, the frequency adjustment is performed. A fourth medium 24having a thickness of H4 is laminated on the third medium 23. In theresulting boundary acoustic wave device 20, the energy distribution of aboundary wave is shown on the right side of FIG. 6. That is, only aportion of energy is distributed in the fourth medium. Thus, in the casewhere after the step of forming the laminate having the third medium 23,the frequency adjustment is performed to significantly reduce variationin frequency, even when the fourth medium 24 is further formed thereon,it is possible to suppress variation in frequency.

In the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the thirdmedium 23 must be different from the fourth medium 24 in terms of theacoustic velocity with which a boundary wave propagates therethroughand/or in terms of material, otherwise the frequency is not changed.

As described above, variation in frequency is minimized in theproduction process according to the first and second preferredembodiments of the present invention because the frequency adjustment isperformed before the third or fourth medium is formed, and then thethird or fourth medium is formed. That is, only a portion of energy of aboundary wave is distributed in the third medium according to the firstpreferred embodiment of the present invention and the fourth mediumaccording to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.Thus, even when production tolerance in the third medium according tothe first preferred embodiment of the present invention and productiontolerance in the fourth medium according to the second preferredembodiment of the present invention occur, these production toleranceshave less effect on variation in the frequency of a final boundaryacoustic wave device. Therefore, it is possible to provide a boundaryacoustic wave device having minimal variation in frequency by performingthe frequency adjustment after the step of forming the laminate.

In the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the secondmedium 22 may be composed of a material identical to that of the fourthmedium 24 or may it be composed of a material different from that of thefourth medium 24. For example, in the case where the second medium 22 iscomposed of SiO₂, which has a positive temperature coefficient offrequency, combining SiO₂ with various materials each having a negativetemperature coefficient of frequency improves the temperaturecoefficient of frequency of the boundary wave device. In the firstpreferred embodiment of the present invention, when one of the secondmedium 2 and the third medium 3 is composed of SiO₂, the other ispreferably composed of a material having a negative temperaturecoefficient of frequency other than SiO₂. Both second and third media 2and 3 may be composed of SiO₂. In this case, it is necessary that SiO₂media having different densities, hardness (elastic constant), and otherproperties be used to provide different acoustic velocities. Thus, theeffect of improving the temperature coefficient of frequency may bedegraded. Therefore, in the first preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, either of the second medium 2 and the third medium 3 ispreferably composed of SiO₂.

In the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, when thesecond medium 22 and the fourth medium 24 are each composed of SiO₂, thethird medium 23 may be composed of a material other than SiO₂. Thus, itis possible to perform the frequency adjustment while maintaining theeffect of improving the temperature coefficient of frequency.

In the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, thethickness H2 (λ) of the second medium is preferably about 1λ or less.When the second medium has a thickness of about 1λ or less, the energyof a boundary acoustic wave is negligibly distributed in the thirdmedium. Thus, it is possible to effectively reduce variation infrequency due to production tolerance in the third medium. Furthermore,the thickness H3 of the third medium is preferably greater than about0.5λ. At a thickness of the third medium greater than about 0.5λ, asshown in FIG. 5, even when the energy of a boundary wave is distributedin the third medium, the energy of the boundary wave is reduced untilthe boundary wave reaches one surface of the third medium 3 opposite theother surface being in contact with the second medium 2, therebyresulting in satisfactory boundary wave propagation. In such astructure, even when foreign matter is attached on the surface, thecharacteristics of the boundary wave device are stable.

In the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, at athickness H2 of the second medium of about 0.5λ or less, as shown inFIG. 6, the energy of a boundary wave is distributed in the thirdmedium. Furthermore, at a thickness H3 of the third medium of about 0.1λor less, the energy of the boundary wave is also distributed in thefourth medium. The acoustic velocity in the third medium is differentfrom those in the second and fourth media. Thus, adjusting the thicknessof the third medium regulates the acoustic velocity with which aboundary wave propagates therethrough. When the energy of a boundarywave is not distributed in the third medium because the second mediumhas a large thickness, the acoustic velocity with which the boundarywave propagates therethrough cannot be regulated by changing the stateof the third medium. When the energy of the boundary wave is notdistributed in the fourth medium because the third medium has a largethickness, the acoustic velocity with which the boundary wave propagatestherethrough cannot be regulated by changing the thickness of the fourthmedium.

As shown in FIG. 6, the energy of the boundary wave is reduced until theboundary wave reaches the surface of the medium 4 opposite the surfacebeing in contact with the medium 3, thereby resulting in satisfactoryboundary wave propagation. With such a structure, even when foreignmatter is attached on the surface, the characteristic of the boundarywave device are stable.

Specific examples will be described below.

EXAMPLE 1

A 15° Y-cut X-propagating LiNbO₃ substrate was prepared as a firstmedium. The electrode structure shown in FIG. 2 was formed on the LiNbO₃substrate. That is, the input IDT 205, the output IDTs 206 and 207, andthe reflectors 208 and 209 shown in FIG. 2A were formed. The electrodeswere made using the following procedure: after washing the LiNbO₃substrate, a resist was spin-coated thereon, prebaked, and developed toform a resist pattern. A NiCr film and then an Au film were formed inthat order by vacuum evaporation. The resist was lifted-off. Theresulting electrodes were washed. Thereby, the electrode structureincluding the Au film having a thickness of about 0.055λ and the NiCrfilm having a thickness of about 0.001λ was obtained.

Next, a SiO₂ film as a second medium and having a thickness of about0.1λ was formed over the surface having the electrodes of the LiNbO₃substrate by RF sputtering, thereby producing a laminate shown in FIG.2B.

A resist was spin-coated on the SiO₂ film and then developed to form aresist pattern. Reactive ion etching and the removal of the resist wereperformed to remove the SiO₂ film disposed on the electrodes to beelectrically connected with the exterior.

The resulting exposed external terminals were brought into contact withprobes of a wafer prober to measure a center frequency. The SiO₂ filmwas processed such that the resulting measurement corresponds to atarget center frequency. In this step, the SiO₂ film was processed by amethod in which the SiO₂ film was etched by reactive ion etching toreduce the thickness or a method in which a SiO₂ film was formed bysputtering to increase the thickness.

That is, when the measurement was less than the target center frequency,the thickness of the SiO₂ film was reduced as described above. Incontrast, when the measurement was greater than the target centerfrequency, the thickness of the SiO₂ film was increased.

At this point, a propagating boundary wave was not a boundary acousticwave but a surface acoustic wave, in which displacement was concentratedon the surface. The frequency adjustment was performed for the surfaceacoustic wave.

After the frequency adjustment, a polycrystalline Si film having athickness of about 1λ was formed as a third medium by sputtering on theSiO₂ film.

At this point, a propagating boundary wave was a boundary acoustic wave.

A resist was spin-coated on the polycrystalline Si film, developed,baked, and patterned by reactive ion etching. The resist was removed,and then polycrystalline Si deposited on the external terminals wasremoved. Thereby, many boundary acoustic wave devices were produced.

The resulting boundary acoustic wave devices have a small variation inresonant frequency.

FIG. 7 is a graph showing the relationship between the thickness H2 ofthe SiO₂ film of the boundary acoustic wave device produced in thisexample and the acoustic velocity, which is determined by multiplyingthe center frequency by λ, in the boundary wave device. FIG. 8 is agraph showing the relationship between the thickness H2 of the SiO₂ filmand the temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF)(ppm/° C.). Thethickness of the polycrystalline Si film functioning as the third mediumis unrelated to the acoustic velocity because of the boundary acousticwave device.

FIG. 7 clearly shows that the acoustic velocity decreases as thethickness of the SiO₂ film defining the second medium is increased. FIG.8 clearly shows that the temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF) isimproved as the thickness H2 of the SiO₂ film is increased.

EXAMPLE 2

A 15° Y-cut X-propagating LiNbO₃ substrate was prepared as a firstmedium. The electrode structure shown in FIG. 2A was formed as inEXAMPLE 1. Many LiNbO₃ substrates each having the electrodes wereprepared.

A SiO₂ film was formed over the electrodes disposed on the LiNbO₃substrate by RF sputtering. In this case, structures having the SiO₂films with thicknesses of about 0.1λ, about 0.3λ, about 0.5λ, and about1.0λ were produced. Then, a polycrystalline Si film having a thicknessof about 0.5λ was formed on each SiO₂ film by RF sputtering. Thereby, alaminate having a laminated structure of poly-Si/SiO₂/electrodes/LiNbO₃substrate, i.e., the laminate of third medium/secondmedium/electrodes/first medium was prepared.

At this point, a propagating boundary wave was not a boundary acousticwave but a surface acoustic wave, in which displacement was concentratedon the surface. The frequency adjustment was performed for the surfaceacoustic wave.

A resist was spin-coated on the resulting polycrystalline Si film of thelaminate, prebaked, and patterned. Reactive ion etching and the removalof the resist were performed to remove polycrystalline Si and SiO₂disposed on external terminals, thereby exposing the external terminals.The exposed external terminals were brought into contact with probes ofa wafer prober to measure a center frequency.

The polycrystalline Si was processed such that the resulting measurementcorresponds to a target center frequency. In this step, when themeasurement was less than the target center frequency, thepolycrystalline Si was processed to reduce the thickness by reactive ionetching. In contrast, when the measurement was greater than the targetcenter frequency, polycrystalline Si film was formed again by sputteringto increase the thickness of the polycrystalline Si film. After thefrequency adjustment, a SiO₂ film having a thickness of about 1λ wasformed as a fourth medium by sputtering on the polycrystalline Si.

At this point, a propagating boundary wave was a boundary acoustic wave.

A resist was spin-coated on the SiO₂ film and patterned. Reactive ionetching and the removal of the resist were performed to remove the SiO₂film disposed on the external electrodes. In this manner, many boundaryacoustic wave devices were produced.

The center frequencies of the resulting boundary acoustic wave deviceswere measured. Variations in center frequencies of the boundary acousticwave devices including the second media having thicknesses of about0.1λ, about 0.3λ, about 0.5λ, and about 1.0λ decrease with increasingthickness.

FIG. 9 is a graph showing the relationship between the thickness H3 ofpolycrystalline Si film, defining a third medium, of each of theboundary acoustic wave devices having the SiO₂ films, defining thesecond media, with thicknesses H2 of about 0.1λ, about 0.3λ, and about0.5λ and the acoustic velocity (center frequency×λ). FIG. 10 is a graphshowing the relationship between the thickness H3 of a polycrystallineSi film and the temperature coefficient of frequency.

The thickness of the SiO₂ film defining the fourth medium is unrelatedto the acoustic velocity because of the boundary acoustic wave device.

FIG. 9 shows that the acoustic velocity is significantly changed withinthe range of about 0 to about 0.1λ in thickness of the polycrystallineSi film, and the frequency adjustment can be efficiently performedwithin the range. FIG. 10 shows that the temperature coefficient offrequency (TCF) is improved up to about 25 ppm/° C. within the range ascompared to the temperature coefficient of frequency in EXAMPLE 1 shownin FIG. 8. At a thickness of the SiO₂ film, defining the second medium,of about 0.5λ, the acoustic velocity was changed as shown in FIG. 9. Ata thickness of the second medium greater than about 0.5λ, the acousticvelocity was not changed by changing the thickness H3 of thepolycrystalline Si film.

Thus, in the boundary acoustic wave device including the first to fourthmedia laminated together, the thickness H2 of the second medium ispreferably about 0.5λ.

In the examples described above, the longitudinally coupled boundaryacoustic wave resonator filter having a three-IDT structure shown inFIG. 2A has been described. However, the boundary acoustic wave devicesaccording to various preferred embodiments of the present invention mayhave various electrode structures. That is, a longitudinally coupledboundary acoustic wave resonator filter including two or more IDTs maybe used. As shown in FIG. 11, which is a circuit diagram, a ladderfilter in which a plurality of boundary acoustic wave resonators S1, S2,P1, and P2 are connected may be used. While four boundary acoustic waveresonators are preferably connected In FIG. 11, a ladder filterincluding the any suitable number of stages may be used.

The number of resonators in the ladder filter is not particularlylimited. In the boundary acoustic wave device and the method forproducing the boundary acoustic wave device according to preferredembodiments of the present invention, a laterally coupled boundaryacoustic wave filter may be used.

A comb-shape transducer (see “Dansei Hyomenha Kogaku”, published byInstitute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers, sixthimpression of the first edition, page 57) in place of the IDT may beused as the electrode. When such a comb-shape transducer is used, λ isdefined as the period of arrangement of strips of the comb-shapetransducer. That is, a wavelength at which an electroacoustic transduceris excited may be defined as λ.

In EXAMPLES 1 and 2, the electrode is formed of the laminate includingthe Au electrode layer as a main component and the underlying NiCrlayer. However, the electrode may be composed of other metals. Forexample, the electrode may include one metal selected from Ag, Cu, Fe,Ta, W, Ti, and Pt. In addition, to enhance adhesion between theelectrode and the first and second media and to enhance powerdurability, a second thin electrode layer including Ti, Cr, NiCr, orother suitable material may be laminated. The second electrode layer maybe disposed between the first medium and the electrode layer primarilycomposed of Au. Alternatively, the second electrode layer may bedisposed between the main electrode layer and the second medium.Furthermore, the electrode may have a structure in which three or moreelectrode layers are laminated. In this case, the second electrode layermay be laminated as an interlayer.

In various preferred embodiments of the present invention, the electrodestructure may include an alloy of a plurality of metals.

The materials defining the first to third media and the first to fourthmedia according to the present invention are not particularly limited.That is, various dielectrics may be used as the media. An examplethereof is one material selected from the group consisting of lithiumniobate, potassium niobate, lithium tantalate, lithium tetraborate,langasite, langanite, quartz, lead zirconate titanate ceramics, ZnO,AlN, silicon oxides, glass, silicon, sapphire, silicon nitrides, andcarbon nitrides.

Furthermore, the medium is not necessarily made of a single material,but may have a laminated structure in which a plurality of medium layersare laminated. That is, at least one medium among the first to thirdmedia and the first to fourth media may have the laminated structure inwhich a plurality of medium layers are laminated.

Furthermore, in the boundary acoustic wave device according to variouspreferred embodiments of the present invention, a protective layer forenhancing strength and preventing the penetration of corrosive gas andother contaminants may be formed on the outer surface. The boundaryacoustic wave device may also be housed in a package if increased sizeof the component does not cause problems.

The protective layer may be made of an insulating material, such astitanium oxide, aluminum nitride, or aluminum oxide, a metal, such asAu, Al, or W, or a resin such as an epoxy resin.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been describedabove, it is to be understood that variations and modifications will beapparent to those skilled in the art without departing the scope andspirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention,therefore, is to be determined solely by the following claims.

1. A method for producing a boundary acoustic wave device that includesa first medium, a second medium, and a third medium laminated in thatorder, and electrodes disposed at an interface between the first mediumand the second medium, the method comprising the steps of: preparing alaminate including the first medium, the second medium, and theelectrodes disposed at the interface between the first medium and thesecond medium; adjusting the thickness of the second medium after thestep of preparing the laminate to regulate at least one of a frequencyand an acoustic velocity of a surface acoustic wave, a pseudo-boundaryacoustic wave, or a boundary acoustic wave; and after the adjustingstep, forming the third medium different from the second medium in termsof at least one of the acoustic velocity with which the boundaryacoustic wave propagates therethrough and in terms of material.
 2. Themethod for producing a boundary acoustic wave device according to claim1, wherein the third medium has a thickness greater than about 0.5λ,wherein λ represents the wavelength of the boundary acoustic wave. 3.The method for producing a boundary acoustic wave device according toclaim 1, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third media hasa laminated structure in which a plurality of material layers arelaminated.
 4. The method for producing a boundary acoustic wave deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein each of the electrodes are made of onemetal selected from the group consisting of Au, Ag, Cu, Fe, Ta, W, Ti,and Pt.
 5. The method for producing a boundary acoustic wave deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein each of the first, second, and third mediaare made of at least one material selected from the group consisting oflithium niobate, potassium niobate, lithium tantalate, lithiumtetraborate, langasite, langanite, quartz, lead zirconate titanateceramics, ZnO, AlN, silicon oxides, glass, silicon, sapphire, siliconnitrides, and carbon nitrides.
 6. The method for producing a boundaryacoustic wave device according to claim 1, wherein the electrodes defineone of a boundary acoustic wave resonator and a boundary acoustic wavefilter.